Door-operating device for elevators



Nov. 12, 1929.

Original Filed June 10, 1927 2 Shets-Sheet 1 75 Pressure PP'I INVENTOREdgar /7 Boufon Nov. 12, 1929. E. M. BOUTON DOOR OPERATING DEVICE FORELEVATORS Original Filed June 10, 1927 2 Sheet-Sheet 2 INVENTOR fq'gar'/1 Bac/fon.

Patenfe d Nov. 12, 1929 UNITED STATES PATENT" OFFICE EDGAR M; BOUTON, OFEAST PITTSBURGH,

PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR` TO WESTING- HOUSE ELEGTRIC & MANUFACTURINGCOMPANY, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYL- VANIA DOOR-OPERATING DEVICE FORELEVATORS Application filed June 10, 1927, serial vide a device forOperating closures enployed in connection with road vehicles, elevatorcars or other vehicles, wherein the door will he' automatically openedwhen the car arrives adjacentthe closure or while the car is approachingthe closure but is yet a short distance therefrom, but is preparing tostop.

Another object of my invention is to provide a` device for Operatingelevator doors automatically by the juxtaposition of the car and thedoor, wherein no mechanieal interconnection between the car and thedooroperatingdevice is necessary.

My device is described with reference to the acconpanying drawing;wherein Fignre 1 is a diagrammatic plan' View of one form of nydoor-opening mechanism shown in operative relation with an elevator'car;

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic View showing the interconnection'between thecontrol apparatus' for the elevator' and the door-opening device, forseveralfioors; and

Fig. 3-is a diagrannatic view of another form of my door-opening device.WVith reference to Fig. 1, an elevator ca 10 is illustrated as Operatingin a hatchway 1.1, defined by the side walls 12 and 13, respectively.The car 10 is of the usual type, Suspended upon a cable 14, attached tothe 40 car at land passing over a hoisting drum D to a counterweight CW(Fig. 2). The reference mineral lrepresents the door sill at one of thefioors served by the elevator car 10 for which adoor 17 and a front wall18 act 45 as one complete side of the elevator enclosure. A track 19,ofthe type usually provided for elevator doors, supports a pair ofhanger rollers 20-and 21, respectively, attached by hangers 22 and 23 tothe door 17, upon which 50 the door may be readily moved from its illus-No. 197525; R'cewed June 27, 1929.

trated closed position to an open position rep resented by the dottedline 24;

The door is illustrated as being formed of a plote-like member 25,having outwardlyturned flanges 26, -27` and28, forming an edge aroundthree side's of thedoor structure. A series of openings 29 containingglass or other transparent material, through which a .View

of the interior of the shaft' may be had, may

be provided in the main'body of' the door 25, guided in a suitablerunway or slot 30 in the door sill or plate 16.-

Attached to the door, as by a screw-eye 31, is a cable 32, which extendsover a' sheave 33, nounted upon the front wall of the hatchway,

and extending to a relatively heavy weight 35, v

to which it is attached, as by a screw-eye 36. The weight is ofsuchsproportions that the weight tends to maintain the door in a closedposition forclosing the opening defined by the dotted`1ine37 inthefront' wall 18.

Attached to the other side of the door 17, as by a screw-eye 38, is acabie 39 which passes over a sheave* 40, mounted on the front wall 18 ofthe hatchway, to a relatively small weight 41., to which it is attached,as by a screw-eye 42.

The sheave 40 has attached thereto, in any suitable manner, a gear-wheel43, representcd as being a toothed pinion, and the sheave and pinion areso constructedas to move as a unit.

Mounted uponthe front wall 18 of the hatchway is a cylinder providedwith an inlet 46 for compressed air or other suitable compressedfluidand provided, near its upper end, with anexhaust ort 47. Mountedwithin the cylinder is a pston 48 Secured to the lower end of a rod 4:9.The upper end of the rod carries a gear rock 50.

The gear rock 50 is so guided by suitable brackets 51 and 52 as toconstantly engage the pinion 43. A pipe or other suitable conduit 53 isconnected to the inlet46 of the oylinder 45 and extends toapair ofvalves 54 and 55. v

The valve 55 is' of the. normally-closed type and has its inletconnected, as by a ipe or conduit 56, to a source of compresseduidsuppiy (not shown). e valve 54 is of the normally open type and has itsinlet connected to the pipe or conduit 5 3 and its *outlet connected toa conduit 57, which is open to the atmosphere. Both of the valves 54 and55 have their Operating mechanisms connected to avrod 58 in such mannerthat depression of the rod 58 simultaneously opens the valve 55 andcloses the Valve 54.

An inductor Operating mechanism (SO is of the type described withreference to a relay structure in a copending application of H. WV.lVilliams, Serial No. 190A82, filed May 11, 1927 and assigned to theVVestinghouse Electric 85 lianufacturing Company. This type of mechanismmay be briefiy described as comprising an electro-magnetic coil 61mounted upon supports 62-and having a pair of armature members 63pivoted upon the core 64 ofthe magnet coil 61. The operation of thismechanism is such that the energiz ation of the coil 61 produces noe'ective movement of the armature members 63 until a magnetizable plate65 carried by the car, is in the position illustrated by dotted lines65', i. e., adjacent to the projecting ends 66 of the armature member,at which time the armature is rotated in a clock-wise direction aboutthe core 64.

To the upper portion of the armature member 63 is connected a suitablebar 67 projecting upon opposite' sides of the armature member 63. Oneend of the bar 67 has at- 58 *for the valves 5& and 55. Through the iother end 69 of the bar 67, a rod projects downwardly toward the upperportion 28 of the door. 17. u v

The upper flange 28 of the door 17 projects slightly beyond the edge 26of the door and is provided with a suitable slot 72 through which theextreme lower end of the rod 70 projects. The rod 70 is suitably guidedby a supporting strap 73.

The purpose of the rod 70 and its engagement with extension 71 of thefiange 28 is that of providing a mechanical lock or latch to preventopening of the door unless the inductor mechanism 60 is energized andthe plate' is adjacent thereto. u

Mounted upon the elevator, in a suitable position, is a bracket 75 towhich is attachcd the magnetizable inductor plate 65. The relativemounting of the plate 65 and the inductor Operating mechanism 60 shouldbe such that, when the car is level with the floor, the platc (55 shouldbe just oppc'ite the mechanism 60; the position shown by the dottedlines 65'. This position of the plate will cause the inductor-operatingmechanism GO to unlatch and initiate the opening of the door only atsuch times as the car is level with the floor. However, the plate mayextend slightly in advance of this position relative to the direction ofmovement of the elevator c thus causing the door to start opening when.generator G.

shunt-wound type, including an armature indicated as .L and aShunt-field winding MF.

Directly couplcd to the armature M' of the driving motor M is thearmature G' of a The generator G is of the compound-wound typecomprising an armature indicated as G', a series eld-winding GSF, ashunt-field-winding GF and a demagnetizing-.field-winding GAF'. Thearmature Gr' of the generator is connected in loop-circuit with thearmature EM of the elevator hoisting motor EM. A Shunt-field winding EMFis provided for the hoisting motor EM. Directly coupled to the armatureEM' of the hoisting motor EM is a hoisting drum D over which the cable14, which supports the elevator car 10, passes to a suitablecounter-weight CW. A car switch CS is illustrated for controlling thedirection and speed of the elevator hoisting motor EM through the agencyof suitable directionalrelays 1 and 2 and a speed relay 3 which operateto vary the direction and the value of the current which passes throughthe generator shunt field winding GF.

The controlling system just described is substantially identical withthat disclosed in my' copending application, Serial No. 731921,

filed Aug. 14, 1924 and assigned to the Westinghouse Electric & Mfg.Company, wherein holding circuits for the up-and-down-direction switches1 and 2 are maintained closed through the contact members I of aninductor landing relay I', in such manner that the elevator, having oncebeen started, continues in operation until the inductor landing relay I'passes amagnetizable inductor plate l" located in the hatchway at apredetermined distance away froni the floor level. At such time, theinductor relay I' will operate to open the holding circuit for the up ordown direction switch 1 or 2, respectively,

'which is in operation at the time. This system of control is no part ofmy present invention except in so far as it relates to the connection ofthe door Operating relays DR and DR'.

The door operating relay DR is of the nornally-closed-contact type andhas its coil in series relation with any one of the generator or motorcircuits which must be closed only when the elevator is moving. In theembodiment of my invention shown, the relay DR has its coil connected inseries relation with the generator-shunt-field winding GF. A second doorrelay DR' is`illustrated as being of the normally-cl0sed-contact typeand has its coil in series relation with contact members on the carswitch CS so arranged, that when the car switch CS is moved from theneutral or off position, the circuit to the relay DR' is completed.

The circuit for relay DR extends from line conductor Ll through eitherconductor 90 or conductor 91, (dependent upon which directional switchis in operation) contact members la or contact membersva, conductor 92or conductor 93, the coil of relay DR, conductor 94,generator-shunt-field-winding GF and resistor R, conductor 95 orconductor 96,

contact members lb or contact members 26 and thence, by way of conductor99 or conductor 98, to line conductor LQ. It will be observed that theholding circuits previously described for the direction switches 1 and 2maintain current through the generator Shunt field winding GF and,consequently, through the coil of relay DR. This relay DR will,therefore, be de-energized only when the directional switches arede-energized and the car is decelerating to make a stop at the nextfloor. The circuit for relay DR' extends from line conductor Ll, throughconductor 99', coil of relay DR', conductor 100, through eitherconductor 101 or conductor 102, car switch CS and conductor 103 to lineeonductor L2. i

The circuit for the inductor-operating mechanisms for the doonopeningdevices eX- tends from line conductor Ll through conductor 104, contactmembers of the relay DR, conductor 105, contact members of the relayDR', conductor 106 and through the coils of the inductor Operatingmechanisms 83, 8 1 and 85 by way of conductors 107 and 108 and thence,through conductor 109, to line conductor LQ.

The operation of the form of the device illustrated in F igs. 1 and 2 isas follows:

Assuming the car 10 to be traveling upwardiy, the up-direction-switch 1is closed, energizing relay DR, by way of the circuit previously tracedfor this relay, and the car switch CS completes a circuit for relay DR',by way of conductor 102 etc., as previously described for this relay.lVhen the car switch CS is centere'd or moved to neutral position tomake a stop at the next floor (for example the second floor), thecircuit for relay DR' is broken and as the car slows down in itsapproach to the 2nd. floor, (under the oper-- ation of the inductorlanding relay I'), the opening of up-direction switch 1 de-energizes therelay DR. .A circuit is thus completed for energizing the coils of theinductor-operating mechanisms 83, 84 and 85.

F or the purpose of illustration, theinductor-Operating mechanism shownin Fig. 1, generally indicated by the reference nuneral 60, may beassumed to be the particular operating mechanism 84 shown in Fig. 2. Asthe car approaches the End. floor and the inductor plate 05 arrives atthe position indicated at 65', the energized inductor-operatingmechanism 60 moves the armature (33 about its pivot, thereby lifting thered 70 to unlatch the door at 71 and 72, and depress the rod 58, therebyopening valve and closing valve 54. This operation 'of the valves 54 and55 admits the compressed fluid to the lower portion of the cylinder andprojects the pisten 48 and gear rack upwardly, thereby rotating thegear-wheel 43 and the sheave 40. Through the agency of the cable 39, therotation of the sbeave 40 draws the door toward the left, against thenormal force exerted by the Weight 35. The purpose of the weight 41 isto produce sufticient friction between the cable 39 and the sheave 40 toovercome the resistance of the weight- The door is thus opened.

As long as the car stands at the floor with the inductor plate adjacentthe armature 623, the fiuid pressure will be maintained in the cylinder4:5 and the door will remain open. As soon, however, as the car switchis moved from the neutral position, the relay DR' will be energized,breaking the energizing circuit for the inductor magnet 61, and, throughthe consequent operation of the valves 54 and 55, the pressure from thesupply will be cut off and the pressure in the cylinder will beexhausted through the exhaust pipe 57. The extension 71 of the fiange 98is shown as angled slightly downward. Thus, as the door is drawn to theright by force of the weight and the release of the pressure from thecylinder 45, the extension 71 will lift the rod slightly and allow it todrop into engagement with the slot 7 2. This action locks the door inclosed position.

A manual latching mechanism is illustrated at 110, which may be renderedoper-.

ative When it is desired to prevent the operation of the door, until theattendant on the car has performed some manual operation thereon, as bymanually retracting the latch handle 111.

It will be noted that the connection of the relay DR in circuit with thegenerator-shunt field winding GF will prevent the closing of theinductor-operating mechanism circuit in the case of a high-speedelevator Wherein the slow-down distance is greater than the distancebetween adjacent fioors, and the car switch must be centered at a pointmore than a fioor away from the floor at which the car is to stop. Insuch a system, the centering of the car switch, for example, for a stopat the third floor, must occur at a time when the car has not yet passedthe second-floor door and were not some means, other than the til thecar has reduced its speed to such de-- gree that it may stop accuratelyat the next floor to be approached.

The n'odification shown in Fig. 3 substitutes anelectro-motor-operating' mechanism for the compressed air or compressedfluid device of I `ig. 1. The door weights, track and shcath structureare identical with the parts illustrated in Fig. 1. In this form of myinvention, however, an inductor relay 150 is substituted for theinductor-operating mechanism shown in Fig. 1, and Controls a relay 151,"This rela-y 151 operates the latching niechanism 152 and also controlsa circuit to a motor 153. e

The sheave wheel 4-0, in this modification, is provided with a wormwheel 154, engaged by a worm 155 fixed upon a shaft 156,1nountcd insuitable hearing members 157 and 158. Upon the right-hand end of theshutt 156 is one portion of a magnet clutch 159, the other portion 160of which is fixed upon the sha'ft 161 ot the moter 153. The right-handend ot' the motor shaft 161 carries a brake drum 162, against which aspring-pressed friction brake 163 exerts its prcssure. The brake isprovided with a magnetic releasing coil indicated at 164. The operationof this form of the invention is as follows:

'The energizing magnet of the inductor relay 150 is energized in themanner illustrated tor the inductOr-operating mechanism' in Fig. 2. Asthe car approaches the floor, the inductor plate arriving adjacent therelay 150, eauses the relay to close its contact members 165, completinga cireuit' for the relay 151 extcnding from line conductor L1 throughconductor 166, contact members 165 of relay 150, conductor 167, coil ofrelay 151 and conductor 168 to line conductor L2. Relay 151 eloses itscontact members 169 and eompletes a eireuit tor a relay 170 extendingfrom line conductor Ll, through conductors 171 and 172, coil of relay170, conductor 173, a normally-closed trip switch 174, conductor 175,and contact members 169 of relay 151 to line conductor L2. A parallelcircuit 'for the magnetic clutch 160 extends from line conducto; Ll,through conductors 171, 172, and 176, magnetic clutch 160, conductors177 and 1.75 to line conductor L2. ot the clutch 160 eitects theengagement of the shatts 161 and 156, The motor 153 is energized throughthe operation of relay 170 by way of a circuit which extends from lineThe energization conductor Ll through conduct'ors 171 and 178, notor"153-,. conductor: 179,. the contact members of relay 170 andconductors 180 and 175, Whence circuit is completed to line' conductorL2, as previously traced. The

brak coil 164: is connected in Parallel relation to the circuit for' themotor 15`3. Thus,

the brake is released andthe motor is started, driving' the sheave 40through the operation of the worm-wheel 154 and the worm 155; therebydrawing the door tothe left. Then thedoor moves to the left, a pin 181mounted on the door engages and opens the trip switch 174, .as the doorarrives at, its extreme open position. The opening ofthe switch 174deenergizes the n1otor'153' and the brake coil' 165, and the brake 163maintains the shaft ot the motor stationary. Consequently, the*door'remains in its open' position until the inductor-relay 150' and there1ay^151` are d'eenergized and open the eircuit to the magnetic clutch,at which time the weight 35 draws the door to its right-hand' closedposition.

A dash-pot 182 is m'ounted upon the door' for engagenent with a piston183 as the door reaches its extreme open' position, for the purpose ofeushioning the Shock' of stopping the door at its open position.

In both illustrated forms of the device, the door is opened through theagency of a driv-- ing device which is frictionally engaged with thedoor. In this manner, should, some defeet in the apparatusprevent thedoor from: openmg, the only eftect produced' would` be that of aslippage between the cable'and its associated sheave. y by the pull of aweight, there is` no danger of serious injury to persons caught betweenthe door and the door rame as the door closes, since all that wouldoccur in such event would be that the door would stop moving. In botliforms oithe invention, the door is maintained open until the car startsaway from thefloor,

at which time the door will automatically' close.

The apparatus shown and described is illustrative only and' theessentials of my invention may be embodied in many other forms. I donot, therefore, desire tobe limited' to the specific detailsillustrated, except as de fined in the appended claims.

I claim as my' inventi onz' 1. In a den'ee for Operating elevator doors,

a hatchway having a plurality of openings' therein, closures for said'openings, means Since' the door is closed normally biasing said closurest'o closed po-- an elevator car operable between a plurality of floors,a door' for each of said floors, a doorclosing means normally biasingsaid doors to closed position, door-opening means for moving said doorsto open position against the force of said biasin'g means, means at eachof said doors for actuating said dooropening means for that door, andmeans car ried by said car magnetieally cooperating with said actuatngmeans for Operating said actuatin means' when said car arrives adjacentsai door.'

3. In a device for Operating closures associated with vehicles, avehicle, driving means vtherefor, means for controlling said drivingmeans to start and stop said vehicle, a door, door-closing meansnormally biasing said door to closed position, normally inoperativemeans for moving said door to open position against the force of saidclosin means, and means actuated responsive to the operation of saidcontrolling means to stop said car for actuating said door-openingmeans.

4. An elevator operable in a hatchway between a pluralty of floors, thehatchway having an opening for each floor, a door for each opening,means for moving said elevator,

means for eontrolling said movmg means to start, stop and vary the speedoffsaid elevator, means individual to said doors for opening theassociated door, and means operable responsive to the combined operationof said j controlling means to reduce the speed of said elevatorpreparatory to stopping said elevator at a floor and the arrival of theelevator adjacent the floor for actuating said dooropening means forthat floor.

5. In a door-opening device for elevators `'operable between a pluralityof floors, an elevater, a door at each of said floors, means foropening` said doors including a magnet normally ineflective whenenergized to actuate said door-opening means, means for moving saidelevator, means for controlling said moving means, to start and sto saidelevator, means operable responsive to t ie actuation of saidcontrolling means to cause said elevator t'o sto" for energizing themagnets for all of said cer-opening devices, and means operableresponsive to the arrival of thevelevator adjacent any of said doors forrendering the magnet for said opening effective to operate saiddoor-opening means.

6. In a door-opening device for elevators o erable between a pluralit offloors, an elevator, a door at each of sad floors, means for'openingsaid doors including a magnet normally inefl'ective when energized toactuate said door-opening means, means for moving said elevator, meansfor controlling said movin g means to start and stop said elevator,including& car .switch and a speed-reducing means, means' operableresponsive to the actuation of said controlling means to cause I saidelevator to stop and to the actuaton of and operable responsive to theactuaton of said car switch to start said elevator for deu energizingsaid magnets, and means rendered operative upon deenergization of saidmagnets for closing said doors.

7 In a door opening device for an elevator car operable. in a'. hatchwaypast a floor, an elevator member, a hatchway member, a door at saidfloor, means for opening and closing said door, means for controllingsaid door opening and closing means 'including a switch and a magnetcarried by one of said members, said magnet being normally ineflectivewhen energized to cause actuation of said switch, magnetizable meanscarried by the other of said menbers for rendering said magnet effectiveto actuate said switchwhen said magnetizable means and said magnet arebrought adjacent each other by the approach of said car to said floor.

S. In a door opening device for an elevator car operable in a hatchway,past a floor, an elevator member, a hatchway member, a door at saidfloor, means for opening and closing said door, means for controllingsaid door opening and closing means, including a switch and a magnetcarried by one of said members, said magnet; being normally ineffectivewhen energzed to cause actu'ation of said switch, magnetizable meanscarried' bythe other of said members for rendering said magnet effectiveto actuate said switch when said magnetizable means and said magnet arebrought adjacent each other by the approach of said car to said floor,control means for controlling the starting and stopping of said car, andmeans operable by actuation of said car control means to stop said carfor energizng said magnet.

9. In a door opening device for an elevator car operable in a hatchwaypast a floor, an elevator member, a hatchway member, a door at saidfloor, means for opening and closing said door, means for controllingsaid door opening and closing means, including a switch and a magnetcarried by one of said members, said magnet being normally inefl'ectivewhen energized to cause actuation of said switch, magnetizable meanscarried by the other of said members for rendering said magnet effectiveto actuate said switch when said magnetizable means and said magnet arebrought adjacent each other by the approaeh of said car to said floor,control means for starting and stopping said car, means operableresponsive to a reduction of speed of said car and means operableresponsive to the combined operation of said controlling means toresponsive to a reducton of speed of said car for energizing saidmagnet.

10. In a door opening device for an ele- Vator car operable in ahatchway past a floor, an elevator member, a hatchway member, a door atsaid floor, means for opening and closing said door, means forcontrolling said door opening and closing means, including a switch anda magnet carried by one of said members, said magnet being normallyinefi'ective When energized to cause actuaton of said switch,magnetizable means carried by the other of said members for renderingsaid magnet eectve to actuate said switch when said magnetizable meansand said magnet are* brought adjacent each other by the approach of saidcar to said floor, means for automatically reducing the speed of saidcar as it approaches said floor, and means responsive to actuation ofsaid speed reducing means for energizing said magnet.

In testimony Whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this Qnd day ofJ une, 1927.

EDGAR M. BOUTON.

